IBM Mainframe update

[Mike Ross]

Now I haven't powered it up since I got it... over ten years ago now! But
in my basement I have a no-brand vanilla PC... which allegedly has special
internal IBM software on it, which allows the user to low-level reformat
standard IBM drives to have 524 byte sectors for mainframe use; it was
given to me for this specific purpose.

I'll drag it out and test it at some point!

Mike
On Jul 4, 2015 7:55 PM, "Guy Sotomayor" <ggs at shiresoft.com> wrote:

> It’s been a while, so I thought I’d update folks on what’s been going on
> with my IBM Multiprise 3000 S/390 mainframe.  I’ve updated the webpage for
> it at: http://www.shiresoft.com/new-shop/Shiresoft/IBM_Mainframe.html#grid
> <http://www.shiresoft.com/new-shop/Shiresoft/IBM_Mainframe.html#grid> to
> indicate it’s current status.
>
> I’ve managed to boot it up into the version of z/OS (V1R5) that was
> installed.  I discovered that some of the standard users were still present
> with their default passwords so I was able to log in and do stuff under
> TSO.  I also figured out that one of the standard users had administrative
> capabilities, so I’m able to fully manage z/OS and make the changes
> necessary to have it work in my environment and to be able to perform any
> administrative tasks that I might need to perform.
>
> I’ve configured the OS/2 side of things to be on my home network, so I can
> at lead use one of the various tn3270 programs to log in rather than having
> to sit as the OS/2 screen and do things.  I also reconfigured my 3174
> controller so that it could “talk” to the MP3000 so I can also use my 3179
> terminals to log in (which IMHO are much better than the tn3270 programs).
>
> During all of this I acquired 8 more 18GB SSA drives so I have enough for
> a second 72GB array with some spares.  I felt really fortunate to have
> found these drives as they are in no way standard (524 byte sectors) and
> you need the special carriers to work properly in the MP3000.  Not to
> mention that they are SSA drives!
>
> I have put the drives into the MP3000 but have yet to configure them for
> use.  During the checkout of the drives, I discovered that the drive that
> had been assigned for the “hot spare” was dead.  One of my next tasks will
> be to assign one of the new drives as the “hot spare”.
>
> Since I have most things working now, I moved the MP3000 into a more
> convenient location in my office (see picture on the above link) rather
> than being in the middle of the traffic area of my shop.
>
> I’m still going to be doing some “tinkering” with z/OS before I really
> knuckle down to (re)learn the various aspects of MVS and TSO.  Then off to
> write some mainframe programs!
>
> TTFN - Guy